Set in the Montreal city subway, this comedy short will have you laughing-out-loud. Filmmaker, Hala Alsalman pits Western garb against the niqab, asking which style of dress is more ethical, and answers this hotly contested debate with an unexpected twist.

"The Green Line" by Hala Alsalman

Two very different women notice each other on the subway. Fascinated by their contrasting forms of attire, the strangers become entangled in a glancing game that quickly descends into a war of dirty looks. Meanwhile, another commuter has let his imagination take over while observing their exchange! Set in Montreal's metro system, THE GREEN LINE is a quirky silent film the way people judge each other based on appearances. It was officially selected at the 2012 Arab Film Festival as well as the 2012 Newport Beach Film Festival.

About the Author

Being raised by Iraqi parents between the multicultural cities of Dubai and Montreal has made Hala a true citizen of the world. She began her career as a video journalist for Reuters and Current TV, producing socio-political stories from across the Middle East. After 5 years of working in the field, she returned to Canada and decided to focus of telling some of those stories through a fiction lens. In 2008 she wrote and directed her first short PHATWA - a dark musical comedy about racial profiling of Arabs at airports, starring Hip Hop artist The Narcicyst.

In 2011, she co-wrote and directed the French web series BÊTES HUMAINES (Human Beasts), a kaleidoscopic romp across Montreal’s subway system and the human condition. It went on to garner a nomination for the prestigious Canadian Gemini Award in the category of “best dramatic web series” in 2012. THE GREEN LINE is one segment from this web series.

Hala currently lives in Los Angeles and is writing the screenplay for her first feature film “Naila”.

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